Watersports which utilize boards (e.g., water skis, kneeboards, wake boards, and more recently wakesurf boards) pulled behind a boat (e.g., a ski boat) are becoming more accessible and more popular. Newer boats often have a large capacity for passengers, with each passenger potentially bringing their own board(s) to ride. Thus, there is often a large number of boards which must be stowed on the boat tower when they are not in use. One option for utilizing space on a boat is to stack extra boards on the deck between seats. However, boats are also expected to carry life vests, towels, and coolers for its passengers, putting storage area for extra boards at a premium. Further, because a ride on a boat typically involves intentional sharp turns, high wind speeds, and a jarring up-and-down path through waves, unsecured boards may sustain damage or become a safety hazard to the boat's occupants.
Current methods for storing watersports boards off of the boat's deck include the use of forked racks attached either to the side of the boat or to an overhead support tower. These racks generally have rigid metal tines whose position cannot be adjusted to tighten down on a board. Such tines have little surface area and no padding to contact and support the board. The often fragile and expensive boards are thus able to rattle around in the racks while the boat is in motion, becoming damaged over time from rough contact with the tines. Furthermore, while wake boards and water-skis have foot-bindings which protrude from the surface of the board and help to prevent longitudinal movement in current racks systems, wakesurf boards have no such bindings and are thus more likely to fall out and/or sustain damage.
Also, the support towers of many boats are designed to fold down into the boat for transport and storage (e.g., support towers on Mastercraft boats). The upper cross-member and vertical side members of the support tower, where many current rack systems would ideally be attached, are thereby put into close proximity with the upholstery of the boat tower. Such upholstery is commonly made from leather or other materials which could easily be damaged by even light contact with a rigid metal edge. Current rack systems are generally high profile, with tines projecting 12 inches or more from the point of contact with the support tower. Further, attaching a rack to the outside of a support tower's side members may prevent the support tower from fully folding down due to contact with side of the boat.
Therefore, what is needed is a rack system for stowing watersports boards off of the deck of a boat, the rack having sufficient padding and securing straps to hold the board in place without damaging it while the boat is in motion, and a low profile to prevent damaging the boat when attached to a folding support tower.